The present invention relates to a series of new thiazolidinone derivatives having valuable properties for the treatment and prophylaxis of diabetes. The invention also provides processes for preparing these compounds and compositions and methods using them.
The compounds of the present invention are of particular use for reducing blood glucose levels, and are therefore useful in the treatment of diabetes and complications thereof. They are also able to reduce blood lipid levels and can thus be used for the treatment of hyperlipemia.
Certain thiazolidinone derivatives having the ability to lower blood lipid and blood glucose levels are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4 572 912 and in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 833 867 filed the 25th day of Feb. 1986. Other thiazolidinone derivatives having a similar type of activity are disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 8203; but such compounds are structurally less similar to those of the present invention.
We have now discovered a series of thiazolidinone derivatives which have the ability to reduce the levels of blood glucose and inhibit the activity of aldose reductase and which have the ability to reduce blood lipid levels. Moreover, it is a significant advantage of the compounds of the present invention that they have a very low toxicity and that the reduction in blood glucose levels is of a very long duration. As a result, the compounds of the invention are expected to be of considerable value in the treatment of diabetes and various complications thereof.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a series of new compounds having the ability to reduce blood glucose levels.
It is a further object of the invention to provide pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipemia containing such compounds as the active ingredient.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide methods for the treatment of humans and other animals employing such compounds.